Method for extraction of beryllium from the minerals of genthelvite group when processing the raw Method for extraction of beryllium from minerals of bertrandite and phenakite groups when processing the raw minerals (ores, concentrates)

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to the non-ferrous metallurgy industry and can be used for extracting beryllium from bertrandite and phenakite groups under conditions of processing of mineral raw materials (ore, concentrate) by heap, vat leaching.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to the Patent Application of Kazakhstan No. 2013/1925.1 filed on Dec. 23, 2013, currently allowed. It is also Continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/864,385 filed on Apr. 17, 2013, and Ser. No. 13/864,399 filed on Apr. 17, 2013, both currently allowed.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to the non-ferrous metallurgy industry and can be used to extract beryllium from bertrandite and phenakite groups under the conditions of processing mineral raw materials (ores, concentrates via heap, vat leaching).

BACKGROUND

The object of the invention is to develop a method for extracting beryllium from bertrandite (Be4(Si2O8)(OH)2)} and phenakite (Be2(SiC4)) groups that permits expanding the range of mineral raw materials that can be included in processing and provides an economical and more environmentally friendly production due to the use of effective active reagent at low-temperature modes of the hydrochemical method.

Modern methods for extracting beryllium from the aforementioned mineral in part from ore and concentrates is performed only by the pyrometallurgical method at a high temperature.

The disadvantages of pyrometallurgical production of beryllium extraction are harmful toxic gas emission, high energy costs, the need for refractory materials, which are not beneficial either economically or ecologically (Everest D. Beryllium chemistry.—M.: Chemistry, 1968; Plyushchev E. P., Stepina S. V., Fedorov P. I. Chemistry and technology of rare and trace elements. Part 1./under ed. Bolipakova. —M.: Higher education institution, 1976. —p. 186-221; Silina G. F., Zarembo Y. I., Bertina L. E. Beryllium. Chemical technology and metallurgy/under ed. V. I. Spitsina. —M.: Atomizdat, 1960. —p. 20-35).

Replacing the high-temperature method of extracting beryllium from beryllium-containing raw materials represented primarily in the form of minerals: bertrandite (Be4(Si2O8)(OH)2)} and phenakite (Be2(SiC4)) concentrates with a cheaper hydrochemical method using effective solvents is highly pressing.

The object of the invention is to develop a novel method for extracting beryllium from bertrandite and phenakite, which permits expanding the range of raw minerals used for processing and provides more economical production and improved environmental impact via use of an effective active reagent at low temperatures by hydrochemical method, which has no analogues in worldwide application.

A technical solution relatively similar to the invention is the method for dissolving bertrandite-phenakite concentrate via processing it using a sulfate method (a variant of Brush-Beryllium method) after thermal processing with an 85% concentrated sulfuric acid at a temperature of 300° C. in thermostabilized conditions (UMF, City of Ust-Kamenogorsk) (Plyushchev E. P., Stepina S. V., Fedorov P. I. Chemistry and technology of rare and trace elements. Part 1./under ed. Bolipakova. —M.: Higher education institution, 1976. —p. 186-221). A disadvantage of the known method is compliance with safety regulations and complexity of the process of breaking down sulfuric acid.

Even closer in essence is our previously proposed novel method for extracting beryllium from beryllium concentrate containing mainly bertrandite and phenakite minerals using an extremely hard-to-access, expensive, and toxic reagent with a hot solution of potassium bifluoride (KNF2) in the presence of HCl:H₂O=1:1 during continuous heating up to 80° C. for a duration of 8 hours.

In relation to the aforementioned, in order to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages it is essential to find a cheaper, less toxic, and effective active reagent-solvent for beryllium minerals, which can successfully replace potassium bifluoride during hydrometallurgical processing of beryllium-containing raw materials.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The object of the invention is developing a method for extracting beryllium from bertrandite (Be4(Si2O8)(OH)2)} and phenakite (Be2(SiC4)) groups, which permits expanding the range of raw minerals used for processing and provides more economical production and improved environmental impact via use of an effective active reagent at low temperatures by hydrochemical method, which has no analogues in worldwide application.

Due to this, additional studies were conducted to develop more effective and cheaper methods of extracting beryllium from bertrandite and phenakite groups under the conditions of processing mineral raw materials (ore, concentrate).

Leaching beryllium-containing raw material from beryllium minerals from bertrandite and phenakite groups is performed by contacting monomineral samples, ore or concentrate, with leaching agents: hydrochloric acid and water (1:1), in the absence as well as presence of ammonium fluoride in the range of 1-8 g in hydrochloric acid medium followed by beryllium extraction using 0.5 liters of solution within a hydrochloric acid range between 2 to 12% in the presence of the above-mentioned reagent at S:L=1:5 while steadily heating over the course of 8-10 hours at a heating temperature of 25°-80° C.

The effective action of solvents, as complexing agents as well as oxidizing agents, depends on the pH of the solution. Therefore, the choice of hydrochloric acid as the medium and dissolving reagent (solvent) is due to the hydrochloric acid, acting as a acid reagent, also simultaneously performs the functions of a complexing reagent, i.e. supplier of chloride ions into the reaction medium for bonding metal ions in the compound. This is the main advantage of hydrochloric acid compared to the widely-used sulfuric acid. In the case of using sulfuric acid in practice the transfer of beryllium ions from the solid phase into the solution sharply decreases due to the blocking of surface minerals containing the aforementioned metals, formed by low-solubility sulfates of associated metals, such as calcium, barium, lead, and magnesium.

Using hydrochloric and chloride methods for leaching beryllium ions is based on the high solubility of the resulting complex chlorides.

The role of hydrochloric acid can be summarized in that is not only inhibits hydrolysis, but also forms stable bonding of BeCl (Everest D. Beryllium chemistry. —M.: Chemistry, 1968; Plyushchev E. P., Stepina S. V., Fedorov P. I. Chemistry and technology of rare and trace elements. Part 1./under ed. Bolipakova. —M.: Higher education institution, 1976. —p. 186-221; Silina G. F., Zarembo Y. I., Bertina L. E. Beryllium. Chemical technology and metallurgy/under ed. V. I. Spitsina. —M.: Atomizdat, 1960.—p. 20-35).

We carried out initial experimental studies on dissolution only in hydrochloric acid with consequent heating of the reaction mixture from 25 to 80° C. of monomineral samples of the above-mentioned beryllium-containing minerals (mineral purity: bertrandite—98.5, phenakite—98.3). Verification of the data on monomineral samples of bertrandite and phenakite under conditions of a hydrochloric acid concentration of 0.8 to 12% (by mass) has shown that at a hydrochloric acid concentration of 0.8% no more than 5% of beryllium was extracted from bertrandite and 2% from phenakite (Table 1). Only increasing the concentration to 12% or more leads to almost complete dissolution.

TABLE 1 Beryllium extraction (in %) from bertrandite and phenakite groups depending on hydrochloric acid concentration. Minerals weighed 100 mg. Solution volume 200 mL. Duration of 8 hours at continuous heating from 25° to 80° C. Hydrochloric acid concentration, % Minerals .8 .2 .4 .0 .0 2.0 Beryllium extraction from minerals, % Bertrandite 5 2 0 8 Phenakite .2 6 8 8 5

Our preliminary experimental results of studying bertrandite, phenakite behavior depending on hydrochloric acid concentration allowed us to obtain information regarding primary factors that influence the process being studied: hydrochloric acid concentration, duration of mixing, temperature.

With the goal of finding more effective variants of optimal conditions for complete dissolution of bertrandite and phenakite, an orthogonal experiment design of the 2nd order with “axial distance” α=±1,215 was used.

The ratio of components, including the concentration of hydrochloric acid used during leaching, was experimentally chosen using a multifactorial orthogonal experiment design method. Deviation from it leads to decreased level of beryllium extraction from beryllium-containing raw materials.

To confirm the obtained technical result of the proposed method, examples of implementation are provided: the experiment was performed in a 500 mL volume of leaching solution, respectively, with a ratio of S:L=1:5. The degree of extraction was determined using existing methods.

Example 1

A 500 mL cold solution of technical hydrochloric acid of 12% concentration (by mass) was poured into a 0.500 g weighed portion of bertrandite and phenakite (separately) monominerals. The components were gradually heated from 25° C. to 80° C. for 8 hours. Results of the experiment are shown in Table 2.

Example 2

The experiment is performed analogously to Example 1, but with a technical hydrochloric acid concentration value of 8% (by mass). Results are also shown in Table 2.

Example 3

The experiment is performed analogously to Examples 1-2, but with a technical hydrochloric acid concentration value of 0.8% (by mass). Results are also shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Results of the multifactorial experiment using orthogonal design experiment of the 2nd order α = ±1,215. Experiments were conducted separately for bertrandite and phenakite on the same planning matrix. Weighed portion 500 mg. Test conditions: cold solution of hydrochloric acid of varying concentrations; with gradual heating from cold to 80° C. for 8 hours. Beryllium extraction in % Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Beryllium (12% HCl (8% HCl (0.8% HCl No minerals, % by mass) by mass) by mass) 1 Bertrandite 98.0; 96.0; 97.0; 81.0; 82.0; 80.5 5.7; 5.5; 5.2 2 Phenakite 95.0; 94.0; 94.5 78.0; 77.0; 76.8 2.0; 2.5; 2.3

Based on the experimental data (Table 2) obtained using the proposed method, the following optimal conditions for the most effective extraction of beryllium from bertrandite and phenakite were chosen: 500 mL of 12% cold hydrochloric acid solution by mass with gradual heating for 8 hours from 25° C. to 80° C. Under these conditions, the degree of beryllium extraction from bertrandite and phenakite was determined, and they are 97-98% and 94-95%, respectively. Use of a 12% cold solution of HCl:H2O-1:1 by mass with gradual heating from 25° C. to 80° C. for 8 hours is due to the fact using a hot solution creates a large quantity of silicic acid, which inhibits the process of dissolving beryllium minerals by blocking their surfaces. This leads to decreased beryllium extraction from bertrandite-phenakite concentrates. Previously, hot solutions of 1:1 hydrochloric acid was used for extracting beryllium from genthelvite groups (Innovative Patent RK No. 12 26589, MRK COIF 1/00, C22B 35/00, publ. bulletin No. 1212 from 25.12.2012). However, genthelvite groups have greater reactivity than bertrandite and phenakite groups (Ospanov K. K. General principles of prediction of differences of minerals and “solvents” reactivity in the processes of mineral raw materials processing (On materials of 3 international scientific discoveries. Student's book—Almaty: TOO <<BTS paper>>, 2012. —p 367).

The proposed method of extracting beryllium from bertrandite and phenakite mineral groups was also tested directly on bertrandite and phenakite concentrates provided by UMF (City of Ust Kamenogorsk) with initial content of 4.18%.

Extraction technique: 500 mL of cold hydrochloric solution of varying concentrations was poured on a weighed portion of 25 g of concentrate and gradually heated on the plate for 10 hours from a temperature of 25° C. to 80° C., since the object is bertrandite and phenakite concentrate. Cooled and filtered, the beryllium content was determined by physical method. It comprised 90-91%. Results are shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3 Results of validation of beryllium extraction from bertrandite- phenakite concentrate with initial content of 4.18%. Weighed portion of 25 g of concentrate. The volume of the solution is 500 mL of 12% hydrochloric acid by mass with gradual boiling from 25° C. to 80° C. for 8 hours. Results are the mean of 4 experiments. Total content of Be in Obtained value of Be concentrate, in % by mass from concentrate in % 4.18 91.0; 90.5; 90.7; 90.8; 90.6; 91.0

During the next step, for intensification, i.e. increasing the degree of beryllium extraction from bertrandite-phenakite concentrate, a less toxic, easily accessible, cheap reagent, ammonium fluoride (NH4F), was used. The concentration of ammonium fluoride was varied from 1 to 8%, leaving the concentration and volume of hydrochloric acid and extraction conditions unchanged.

The technique for extracting bertrandite-phenakite beryllium concentrate: 500 mL of cold solution (25° C.) of hydrochloric acid HCl:H2O=1:1 was poured over 25 g and 10 g weighed portions and 1-8 g of ammonium fluoride (NH4F) was added and gradually heated on a plate for 10 hours at a temperature of 25° C. to 80° C.

Since a single administration of solvent reagent (NH4F) ammonium fluoride in hydrochloric acid medium does not provide high beryllium extraction, additional experiments were performed with portioned introduction of ammonium fluoride of 2 g every 2 hours, which, as proposed, allows maintaining a greater concentration of ammonium fluoride for a duration of 10 hours with gradual heating from 25° C. to 80° C.

Next, the reaction mixture is cooled and filtered. The filtrate is retained for settling of beryllium ions. Part of the solution (in 15 mL volumes of each of the 4 replicated tests) was sent out to determine its content of beryllium that has changed from solid phase into a solution. This showed that portioned introduction of ammonium fluoride into a 1:1 hydrochloric acid medium while maintaining a specified solution acidity is more effective than a one-time addition. Extraction of beryllium that has changed from the solid phase into a solution was 93-94% under these conditions.

For burden balance calculations, the precipitate was dried after extraction from bertrandite-phenakite concentrate using a 1:1 hydrochloric acid solution in the presence of 8 g NH4F (ammonium fluoride) (fractional method) with heating from 25° C. to 80° C. for 10 hours. Then 1 g of precipitate was fused with Na2CO3+K2CO3 in a platinum crucible. The alloy was cooled and transferred to the solution. Beryllium content was determined. The beryllium content found in the precipitate ranged from 1.9 to 4.03%. It was factually confirmed that the degree of beryllium extraction from the solution actually corresponds to 93-94%. The aforementioned data were obtained in the laboratory of elemental analysis at the Institute for Nuclear Physics (Alatau, Almaty) using the methods of mass-spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma.

The degree of beryllium extraction from the stated bertrandite-phenakite concentrate sharply increased to 93-94%. This is due to the fact that, when using potassium bifluoride, a highly viscous medium is formed, which hinders the mobility of beryllium ions, and leads in turn to inhibition of the beryllium mineral dissolution process. At the same time, in the presence of ammonium fluoride, this does not occur. Furthermore, as mentioned above, using a hot solution creates a large quantity of silicic acid, which inhibits the dissolution of beryllium minerals by blocking their surfaces.

TABLE 4 Results of beryllium extraction from bertrandite-phenakite concentrate using an ammonium fluoride dissolution reagent in the range of 1-8% concentration by mass (NH4F). Weighed portion of 25 g concentrate. Solution volume of 500 mL. Hydrochloric acid 1:1 with continuous heating for 8 hours at temperatures from 25° C. to 80° C. Initial Be concentrate content of 4.18%. Concentration of ammonium Degree of Be fluoride, in % by mass extraction, % 1 90.5; 91.0; 91.3; 91.2; 90.5 2.5 90.8; 90.6; 91.5 5 91.0; 91.3; 91.5; 91.0; 91.1; 91.8 8 93.0; 93.5; 93.6; 93.8; 94.0; 94.1

Thus, the most economically and environmentally beneficial and effective dissolving reagent for extracting beryllium from bertrandite-phenakite concentrate is that according to invention claims 1 and 2. It should be noted that under conditions of dissolving bertrandite and phenakite all beryllium minerals are dissolved, except beryllium.

Gradual heating of hydrochloric acid solution HCl:H2O=1:1 for 8 hours from 25° C. to 80° C. Beryllium extraction is 90-91%.

Using an 8% solution (by mass) of ammonium fluoride (fractional method) in the same 1:1 hydrochloric acid solution with successive heating for 10 hours from 25° C. to 80° C. Beryllium extraction is 93-94%.

The description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for leaching beryllium (bertrandite and phenakite groups) from a beryllium-containing concentrate or an ore, comprising: contacting the concentrate or the ore with a leaching solution, containing technical hydrochloric acid and extracting beryllium via heating for 8 hours at 80° C., wherein the technical hydrochloric acid is used in amounts from 0.2-12% (by volume) per liter of leaching solution.
 2. A method for dissolving a bertrandite-phenakite concentrate (or an ore), comprising: processing the concentrate with a solvent followed by filtrating and washing, and successive heating for 10 hours from 25° C. to 80° C. (by fractional method), wherein the solvent comprises 12% by mass of hydrochloric acid in a presence of ammonium fluoride (8% solution by mass).
 3. A method for dissolving bertrandite and phenakite from a bertrandite-phenakite concentrate, comprising: processing with a solvent followed by filtrating and washing, wherein the solvent comprises 12% by mass hydrochloric solution (HCl:H₂O=1:1), containing 4-8% potassium bifluoride (by mass). 